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“The best job in the world” vs “Professional fan”

2009 Cannes CyberLions awarded (Mark will be posting a wrap-up for that in the next few days), now we are all waiting to know which entries will win Film category and the Grand Prix for Titanium and Integrated, which is rumoured that will be given to Obama’s presidential campaign.
In the meantime, we already know for sure that one of the highlights of the Festival was the “Best job in the world” campaign developed by Cummins Nitro for the Tourism Queensland, winning three Grand Prix this year: PR, Direct and Cyber. That is the payoff of a great idea with a flawless execution.
However, it looked a bit weird to me that another campaign, released a few months before the “Best Job” one, and under the same concept/idea, has gone almost unknown.

This “Aficionado profesional” (“Professional fan”) campaign was launched by DoubleYou in April 2008 to increase people engagement with spanish F1 driver Fernando Alonso, which is perceived as someone “distant” in Spain. The campaign won various awards last year (i remember El Sol and Effies) and submitted to Promo, Direct and Media Lions at this 2009 Cannes Advertising Festival.

Up ’til now, the guy selected to do the coverage is still working on that with an amazing and increasing amount of followers and fans in Facebook, Twitter and so on; the campaign is still “alive”, in a way, because all Alonso’s fans are interested on that.
This is the case study for the “Best job” campaign, launched in January of 2009:

In this case, i don’t know if the future coverage here is as interesting for people as it was the selection process.
The first one didn’t make it to any shortlist, the second one won three Grand Prix. So let me be clear about this, this post has nothing to do with 2009 Cannes Cyber Jury (pretty clear that you can’t win Cyber if you don’t submit to Cyber LOL), that this is not a flame-intended post nor an accusation of plagiarism at all, because i believe that these things happen. But i can’t understand the criteria under both of them were judged… is it that the Job one was worldwide and the Fan one for Spain? but is the value of the idea exactly the same if the idea has been done before?
So… what do you think? funny thing though
(i also found two other posts about this, thanks Xavi and Ezequiel for noting that)

8 Responses to “The best job in the world” vs “Professional fan”

Well…
I am Spanish and I didn’t know anything about the “Professional Fan” campaign, but I am NOT Australian and I heard about the “Best Job” one while being in 3 different countries in 2 different continents.
So I imagine that a campaign is not awarded only by “the idea”, but also for how you make it work.

i found some interesting points of view at the linked blogs at the end of this post, just in case
Anonymous said:
“For me, the effectiveness of Amateur is immensely greater than that of the second campaign. The content that has been generating the winner was, and is interesting, followed by supporters of Fernando Alonso and today is a reference to them. In his blog and Facebook. He has appeared in all media and for sports occurred. A year later, and finished the championship for which it was selected, continues to work for ING.
I doubt also of the interest of the content is generated from the island. In fact, do not know if the people what it is and where they are islands, badly in terms of effectiveness: We think that our campaigns are going to people and people do not see the case studies.
Then there is originality. I will not doubt if it is not copied or creativity, I assume that is a coincidence. But you can not reward. Sorry. Because the lesson that we give to the sector is to keep their good ideas for clients with deep pockets. What they’re saying is that the same ideas, but infinitely more effective if they do not have resources, have no prize. Is that it?”
Then Alex (http://thepolishbureau.com/showroom/) replied:
“Obviously, the idea of the two campaigns is the same but there are some nuances:
TERM. First, in disagreement with one of the anonymous, the first goal of the campaign was to generate a better image of Alonso and, hence, of ING, the smaller objective in the medium term. The second was to generate awareness about the islands in the short term.
SCOPE. Second, no one would escape that to generate a global profile is rather more difficult than doing so on a national or regional. And no doubt the knowledge of international Alonso, but it seems a priori more appealing and aspirational 6 months living on an island, at least for those who neither know nor support our pilot.
CONTENT. Finally, and somehow here again I disagree, but half, with the anonymous, as though giving the reason for the interest of the content generated by the winner will be more interesting and continued in the first case, and as I said when speaking the deadline is an important part in achieving the objective in the case of the islands most important was to generate content for the campaign to increase the noise and viral with it.
Same approach to different problems, with slightly different strategies. The two, an A in terms of viralization and 2.0 agitation. Agreed that there should be an original campaign detract. Now, of course, a much more ambitious goal of the second event, with a fairly higher impact.”

The “Profesional Fan Campaign” Object was to communicate the ING DIRECT Sponsorship IN SPAIN. What I can’t understand is why Cannes juries are just worried about international campaigns. Here in Spain all people is surprised with this result.

The “Profesional Fan” job offer is totally real. The tone of communication is more credible, more realistic. It doesn’t seem an advertising communication. Even the website was just a place where you could apply, as any other job offer. In addition, the aim was only national and they even reach international repercussion.
The tone of communication in “The best job” campaign is kind of obviously advertising(an incredible amount of money for an incredible job).
It’s, of course, a great campaign. But we can’t understand why “Profesional Fan” wasn’t neither in shortlists.